National group buys ads opposing campus carry bill
ATLANTA - A national advocacy group will begin running television commercials Monday opposing a bill that would legalize guns on college campuses in Georgia.
Everytown for Gun Safety paid for the 30 second ad, which urges Georgians to contact their state legislators to tell them to vote "no" on House Bill 859.
The legislation, commonly referred to as the "campus carry bill," would allow concealed carry permit holders to bring firearms onto college and technical school property. HB 859 would not permit people to bring guns to sporting events or into student housing, including sorority and fraternity houses.
"College tests a student's judgment and responsibility," a narrator reads in the commercial. "And sometimes students make bad decisions, especially when alcohol is involved."
The bill's primary sponsor Rep. Rick Jasperse, R-Jasper, said he designed the bill to help law-abiding students protect themselves.
"Really it's a personal issue for those Georgians who are over 21 and giving them the opportunity not to be a victim if they choose to," Rep. Jasperse explained.
The ad buy comes at a critical time for the legislation; a senate committee is scheduled to hold a second hearing on the bill Monday. The house passed the measure last month, but HB 859 must still make it out of committee and onto the senate floor for a vote with just nine days left in the legislative session.
FOX 5 Political Analyst Matt Towery said while some groups have purchased ad time to oppose legislation in the past, it is not a common practice in Georgia.